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Rutgers' defense dominates, at least for one night

Rutgers defeats South Florida 31-6 to become bowl eligible The Rutgers defense stifled South Florida's rush attack, Chas Dodd connected on two touchdown passes and the Scarlet Knights earned a 31-6 victory to become bowl eligible at 6-6. After the game, Head Coach Kyle Flood announced the team had accepted an invitation to the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium where they will face Notre Dame. (Video by Michael Monday/The Star-Ledger)

After the first positive night the Rutgers defense has had in a long time, Kyle Flood found Lorenzo Waters in a nearly empty end zone, after the rest of the team went for the tunnel, and gave him a big bear-hug and a message.

"It’s been a long year, but it’s all been worth," Waters said he was told. "He’s just proud of me, I guess, for holding the secondary down. We’ve been under a lot of scrutiny this year."

It has not been just the secondary that’s earned that scrutiny. For the past two months, Rutgers has seen its defense beaten and its reputation tarred. A multitude of opponents burned the defense as it slogged its way to the worst statistical season in school history and defensive coordinator Dave Cohen earned scorn.

But Saturday night, in a 31-6 victory over South Florida, at least for one game, Rutgers was able to re-assume its dominance.

The Bulls gained just 151 yards — below the 429 yards per game Rutgers had allowed per game this season coming into the game.

And a beleaguered pass defense, which came into the game allowing 327 yards per game — second worst in the country — showed itself to be less brittle against USF.

Rutgers held the Bulls to just 141 passing yards, keeping quarterback Mike White in check. The USF freshman completed 14 of 31 passes.

"It’s about time," Waters said. "You’d like to have it earlier, but today was just one of those days where everything clicked and everything seemed to work. Everybody seemed to be on the same page."

Perhaps no player stood out more than Gareef Glashen.

Earlier in the week, Flood lamented the fact that Rutgers had struggled to force turnovers this season.

That changed quickly in the first quarter. On USF’s first drive after Rutgers took a 7-0 lead, White fumbled the exchange on the snap and Darius Hamilton recovered. It was the first turnover against Rutgers since the loss to Cincinnati on Nov. 16.

Rutgers scored two plays later to extend their lead to 14 points.

On South Florida’s ensuing drive, Rutgers forced another turnover. Glashen jumped in front of White’s pass at the USF 29 yard line and returned it 7 yards. On his senior night, it was Glashen’s first career interception.

He also broke up a pass in the end zone and laid a big hit as well — one of five tackles on the night.

And the week after Flood said he felt the Scarlet Knights defense had come to closer to solving its problem, especially in the middle of the field where it had been plagued by issues for 11 games, they showed tangible improvement against the Bulls.

By an unofficial count, South Florida ran 16 plays in the first half with three or more receivers on the field.

White completed 7 of 14 passes for 76 yards and Glashen’s interception in the half.

There were some breakdowns, with tight end Mike McFarland burning Kevin Snyder and Steve Longa separately on plays down the middle of the field for 20 and 27 yard receptions. Still, it was an improved performance and more visible than the kind Flood saw against Connecticut.